Device for exhibiting transparencies



Oct. 13,1942. -J. A. DAV l$ 2,

DEVICE FOR EXHIBITING TRANSPARENCIES Filed Dec; 14, 1940 INVENTOR John Adams ,Davzs A BY Patented Oct. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nsvro FOR EXHIBITING TRANSPARENCIES John Adams Davis, Great Neck, N. Y. I Application December 14, 1940, Serial No. 370,145

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for exhibiting transparencies.

Transparencies have for some time been used for the purpose of exhibiting objects where it has been impracticable to exhibit the objects themselves. Transparencies that depict not only the object but also its colors have recently been developed to a high degree of perfection. This development makes it possible for a merchandise establishment, for instance, to exhibit true reproductions of the merchandise that it has for sale, not only from the point of view of form, but also of color. As it is oftentimes desirable, and indeed necessary, to exhibit this merchandise at locations remote from the merchandise itself, the color transparencies admirably serve this purpose.

For instance, a merchandise establishment selling blankets, carpets or the like, is enabled, by the use of these color transparencies, to exhibit to prospective customers a true representation of the blankets or carpets, not only from the point of View of design, but also color.

Of course the exhibition of these transparencies at various locations remote from the articles themselves necessitates the transportation of the transparencies and their repeated exhibiting.

The conditions under which this exhibiting takes place of course vary, particularly with the kind and value of the light.

It has heretofore been usual to place the transparency against a window in order to obtain the necessary light for viewing. It will be realized that the character and intensity of such light will vary. At times this type of transparency is viewed by placing it in close proximity to a source of artificial light, but here again the character and intensity of the light varies with a generally unsatisfactory result, because of the fact that the various lights affect the transparency in different ways and a consistent exhibition is thus not obtained.

The present invention has for an object to exhibit the transparencies under the same conditions of light, regardless of the location of the exhibition.

It is a further object of the invention to proide an exhibition device which is so constructed that the transparencies may be successively and easily exhibited, and which will be protected during transportation to diiferent locations for exhibition, and during such exhibition.

I have illustrated one form of an embodiment of the invention in the drawing. but it is to be understood that I am not to be confined to that 'means so constructed that carriers may particular form, except insofar as is necessitated by the claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line Z-Z of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the source of light.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, a case consisting of two members I and 2 is provided. These members are hinged together at 3. I have illustrated this case as of the type where the two hinged members are foldable to complete the case and are secured together by a zipper 4, but it is to be understood that this particular form of case is not essential as its construction may be varied without affecting the invention.

Adjacent and preferably in line with the hinge 3 a plurality of transparency carriers 5 are hingedly mounted, these carriers being adapted to support transparencies 6.

In the form of the invention illustrated I have shown split rings 1 on which the transparency carriers 5 may be mounted so that they may lie within the case member I or the case member 2, as illustrated in Figure 1 at 8 and 9 respectively, or they may be maintained in an upstanding position as represented in Figure 1 by the carrier 5-.

Of course the form of the means for hingedly attaching the transparency carriers 5 to the case is not essential, but it is desirable to have this be attached and removedas desired.

A lamp ll! is mounted in one of the case members, I for instance, and is attachable to a source of electric supply by the usual wire and plug II and I2 respectively.

This lamp I0 is preferably cylindrical in form and of greater length than the transparency itself. It is also preferably of a light diffusing type.

In order that a carrier 5 with its transparency 6 may be supported in an upright position in front of the lamp l0 so that the transparency may be conveniently viewed, I have provided a detent l3 which is hinged at M to the case. The free end of this detent is bent at l5 toward the path of movement of the edge of the carrier 5 which edge may be reinforced as at 16, for instance. This inwardly turned portion l5 of the detent is provided with a notch II in which the edge of the carrier 5 may be seated to thus maintain the carrier in its upright position in front of the lamp Ill. The inwardly turned end l5 of the detent is normally urged toward the path of movement of the edge of the carrier 5 by a springpressed plunger l8 which is part of a standard plunger type of electrical switch l9. This switch is interpolated in the wire I l and the automatic movement of the plunger 18 under the influence of its actuating spring IB normally maintains the electric circuit to the lamp incomplete. However, when the carrier is moved into its upright position and forces the detent l3 outwardly about its hinge 6, the plunger I8 is actuated and completes the electric circuit to the lamp through the switch blades l8".

On the other hand, when the detent i3 is freed from the carrier 5, the plunger l8 will be permitted, under the influence of its spring, to move and break the circuit.

In order that the engagement and disengagement of the carrier 5 with the detent l3 may be automatic, I have provided the inwardly turned portion [5 of the carrier with cam faces l9 and 20 on which the edge of the carrier rides when it is moved from a fiat position on either of the case members I or 2 into its upright position and into the notch IT. The notch I1 is also provided with cam faces 2| which enable the carrier to be moved toward either of the case members I or 2 and to automatically disengage the detent from its edge by forcing it outwardly about its pivot I4.

In the form of the invention illustrated the movement of the detent l3 into the path of movement of the edge of the carrier 5 is limited by an abutment 22, so that the cams I9, 29 and 2| will always be properly positioned in respect to the edge of the carrier.

Of course it is to be understood that the switch IS with its plunger [8 may be entirely eliminated if desired, and in such event the detent l3 will be maintained in its proper positions by means of a suitable spring.

It will be realized that with this construction the transparencies with their carriers, the lamp,

the wire and the plug, may be housed within the cylindrical form, and will, when the transparencies are being exhibited, be a definite and consistent distance from the transparencies and the value of the light will always be the same, so.

that a true exhibition of the design and color of the objects that are depicted on the transparency may be had.

What I claim is:

1. A device for exhibiting transparencies including a case having hinged cover members, a transparency carrier hinged to the cover members adjacent their hinge and adapted to lie within either of the cover members, a lamp mounted in one of the cover members remote from the hinge, substantially parallel with the axis thereof and at least coextensive with the length of the transparency, and means for automatically arresting the movement of the transparency carrier as it is moved from one cover member toward the other and for supporting the carrier in a predetermined position in relation to the lamp.

2. A device for exhibiting transparencies including a case having hinged cover members, a transparency carrier hinged to the cover members adjacent their hinge and adapted to lie within either of the cover members, a lamp mounted in one of the cover members remote from the hinge, substantially parallel with the axis thereof and at least coextensive with the length of the transparency, means for automatically arresting the movement of the transparency carrier as it is moved from one cover member toward the other and for supporting the carrier in a predetermined position in relation to the lamp, said means including a spring-pressed detent having cam faces adapted to engage the edge of the carrier to effectuate the engagement of the detent with the carrier.

3. A device for exhibiting transparencies including a case having hinged cover members, a transparency carrier hinged to the cover members adjacent their hinge and adapted to lie within either of the cover members, a lamp mounted in one of the cover members remote from the hinge, substantially parallel with the axis thereof and at least coextensive with the length of the transparency, a detent pivotally mounted in the case and adapted to engage the edge of the transparency carrier, a plunger operated switch for the lamp including a spring adapted to move the plunger to break the lamp circuit and to simultaneously move the detent into the path of movement of the edge of the transparency carrier whereby when said carrier is moved to engage the detent the switch will be closed and when the carrier is moved away from the detent the switch will be automatically opened.

J OHN ADAMS DAVIS. 

